Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report and Scoping Meeting for the Canyon Lane Roadway Improvements Development Project

Transcription

1 of an Environmental Impact Report and Scoping Meeting for the As the Lead Agency, the County of San Mateo (County) will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the (project), and would like your views regarding the scope and content of the environmental information to be addressed in the EIR. The EIR will be used by the County when considering approvals for the project. The project description and location are attached. A public scoping meeting will be held at the San Mateo County Planning and Building Department located at 455 County Center, 1 st Floor, Room 101, Redwood City, CA from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 18, County staff will be available to answer questions regarding the project and EIR process. The opportunity to provide written public comment will be offered at the public scoping meeting. According to State law, the deadline for your responses is 30 days after the receipt of this notice, which establishes a response deadline as the close of business on January 10, The County would appreciate an earlier response, if possible. Please identify a contact person and send your response to: County of San Mateo Planning and Building Department Attn: Summer Burlison 455 County Center, 2 nd Floor Redwood City, CA Phone: sburlison@smcgov.org

2 This page has been left intentionally blank

3 INTRODUCTION The purpose of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is to inform decision-makers and the general public of the environmental effects of proposed projects that an agency may implement or approve. The EIR process is intended to provide information sufficient to evaluate a project and its potential for significant impacts on the environment; to examine methods for reducing adverse impacts; and to consider alternatives to the project. The EIR for the proposed project will be prepared and processed in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of 1970, as amended. In accordance with the requirements of CEQA, the EIR will include: A summary of the proposed project and its consequences; A project description; The environmental setting; A consideration and discussion of environmental impacts, including significant environmental effects and growth inducing impacts; A consideration and discussion of mitigation measures proposed to minimize significant effects; Alternatives to the proposed project; and, A discussion of cumulative impacts. PROJECT DESCRIPTION PROJECT LOCATION The (project) is located along Canyon Lane within the Emerald Lake Hills area of unincorporated San Mateo County (see Figure 1). The approximately 3.5-acre project site is comprised of 12 parcels and a gated, dead-end gravel roadway. One parcel (APNs ) is located within the City of Redwood City and the 11 remaining parcels ( , , , , , & 230, & 250, , , , & 300) are located within the San Mateo County. The project site is located within a hillside canyon, surrounded by single-family residential homes scattered throughout the adjacent hillsides. The project site, minus the gravel roadway, is unimproved and consists of oak forest, grassland, and intermittent creek that runs parallel to Canyon Lane. None of the 12 parcels have been extensively graded or developed and thus maintain the natural slope and vegetation of the hillside canyon. The project site is located east of Lower Emerald Lake and west of the George L Garrett Jr Memorial Park (Garrett Park). The boundary between San Mateo County and the City of Redwood City runs through the project site, approximately 300 feet west of the juncture of Canyon Lane and Glenwood Avenue. Portions of Canyon Lane (a private, currently undeveloped paper street 1 ) near Glenwood Avenue, and south of Garrett Park, have been previously paved before transitioning to a dead-end gravel roadway towards the western side of the project site 1 A paper street is a road or street that has been planned and appears on maps, but does not exist in reality and is typically not maintained by an agency. 1

4 Figure 1. Location 2

5 Currently there is a gate that blocks motor vehicles from entering the unimproved roadway. An existing San Mateo County Emerald Lake Heights Sewer Maintenance District sewer line underlays the gravel roadway. Lower Emerald Lake is located west of the project site on a five-acre parcel and includes a swimming lake fed by seasonal creeks on which an earthen dam is located. Water that is released from the lake is discharged into a creek that flows parallel to Canyon Lane where it eventually reaches Garrett Park, a 6.9- acre park with playground facilities, picnic areas, and barbeque facilities to the east of the project site. PROPOSED PROJECT Canyon Lane Improvements The proposed project involves the improvement and extension of Canyon Lane at Glenwood Avenue. The proposed improvement to Canyon Lane would involve regrading and paving the existing gravel roadway into a 20-foot-wide paved roadway, extending approximately 880 feet west from Glenwood Avenue. The project would include a turnaround for emergency vehicles and a single-span bridge that would cross the unnamed tributary that traverses the project site. The extension of Canyon Lane would provide routine and emergency access to 12 currently undeveloped privately-owned parcels. Road improvements made to Canyon Lane would result in a road grade ranging from 0.5 to 12.1 percent. Canyon Lane would be realigned from its current mapped, or paper street, configuration to the existing gravel access road south of Garrett Park. The realignment would eliminate any conflicts with Garret Park and coincide with an existing sewer line underlying Glenwood Avenue and Vista Drive. A minimum eight-inch water line extending approximately 1,050 linear feet would also be constructed to connect the water mains at Glenwood Avenue and Vista Drive to provide water service and fire protection to the 12 parcels. The water line extension would require authorization and approval by the City of Redwood City and the San Mateo Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), as water service would be supplied by the City of Redwood City Water Department. Stormwater would be collected at four catch basins on the south side of Canyon Lane. Stormwater would then flow towards the east into a biotreatment swale that would treat stormwater before infiltrating into groundwater. A 12 kilovolt (kv) electrical distribution line would underlay Canyon Lane. To achieve the roadway improvements, the proposed project would disturb slightly under one acre of land. The project would involve approximately 1,205 cubic yards of grading, including 1,145 cubic yards of cut and 60 cubic yards of fill. The project would include the removal of 21 existing trees, including 3 riparian coast live oak trees. Approximately 22,000 square feet of impervious roadway surface would be created. The haul route for project grading would be from the project site to Glenwood Avenue, Canyon Road, Cordilleras Road, and Edgewood Road to Interstate 280. Proposed Single-Family Residence In addition to the roadway improvements, the project would include the development of one single-family residence on two previously merged parcels (APN & 300). The merged parcels that would be developed as part of the project total approximately 16,151 square feet in size. 3

6 The proposed residence would have a lot coverage of no more than 25 percent, Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of no more than 30 percent, and would comprise three levels, including a garage level, a main level, and an upper level. The garage would be sized to accommodate two vehicles. A driveway connecting Canyon Lane to the garage would also be constructed and would accommodate an additional two vehicles for guest parking. Construction of the residence would require approximately 2,540 cubic yards of excavation. New storm drainage facilities would be constructed that would convey water to a stormwater system that would be constructed as part of the Canyon Lane improvements. Electricity would reach the residence via the electrical distribution line that would underlay Canyon Lane. Developable Parcels The extension of the roadway would allow for the future development of the remaining 11 parcels; however, no development is currently proposed on these remaining parcels. As required under CEQA Guidelines Section (d), the future development will be analyzed in the EIR as a growth-inducing and reasonably foreseeable impact as a result of the project. As described above, the 12 developable parcels are currently zoned RH/DR (Residential Hillside/Design Review) in the County and RH (Residential Hillside) in the City. For the purposes of the analysis, it is assumed that the remaining 11 developable parcels would be developed within the current zoning designations of the respective jurisdiction. PROJECT OBJECTIVES The primary objectives of the project are as follows: To improve Canyon Lane in order to facilitate routine and emergency access to 12 parcels that would become developable. The objectives of the individual future property owners may vary, but, assuming project approval, owners of the lots could construct single-family homes in accordance with zoning restrictions, any necessary subsequent environmental review, and after approval of building permits. To provide housing, and the opportunity for future housing on lots associated with the project, on an underutilized site that is currently zoned for single-family housing. Assist in maximizing home ownership in San Mateo County, while maintaining the predominantly single-family character of the neighborhood. CEQA LEAD AND RESPONSIBLE AGENCIES San Mateo County will serve as the Lead Agency under CEQA and will prepare the EIR in its role as the principal agency responsible for approving the project (CEQA Guidelines 21067). The City of Redwood City and LAFCo will serve as Responsible Agencies under CEQA. The City of Redwood City and LAFCo are responsible for authorizing and approving the City s eight-inch water line extension outside of the City s jurisdictional boundaries. 4

7 PROJECT APPROVALS The project includes the following project approvals: Approval of a grading permit for the improvement of Canyon Lane and the construction of a single-span bridge across an unnamed creek at the north side of the roadway as part of a required turn-around area for emergency vehicles; Design review by the Emerald Lakes Hills Design Review Officer; Variance for grading associated with a single-family residence where the grading quantity will exceed 1,000 cubic yards in the County s RH/DR Zoning District; Issuance of a building permit for the construction of roadway improvements for Canyon Lane, including a single-span bridge, retaining walls, storm drainage facilities, and water line extension Issuance of a building permit for the construction of one new single-family residence on two previously merged parcels; and, Approval of a new (minimum) eight-inch water loop by LAFCo and the City of Redwood City to extend Redwood City water service outside of City jurisdictional boundaries. POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS The proposed project has the potential to result in significant environmental impacts based on the results of the pre-application field surveys and initial analysis. Additional studies have and will be conducted as part of the environmental review process, and further determinations will be made in the EIR, including additional resources that could be impacted as a result of the project. Feasible mitigation measures will be identified in the EIR for impacts determined to be significant. The following resources have the potential to result in significant environmental impacts: Biological Resources: The project has the potential to impact special-status plant species including Bent-flowered Fiddleneck and San Mateo Woolly Sunflower. Hydrology and Water Quality: The project has the potential to expose people to flooding as a result of the failure of a levee or dam. PUBLIC AND AGENCY COMMENTS The purpose of the this (NOP) is to solicit input from the public and agencies about the scope of analysis to be included in the EIR. This NOP is being circulated for a 30-day review period. Please send your comments to: Summer Burlison County of San Mateo Planning and Building Department 455 County Center, 2 nd Floor Redwood City, CA A public scoping meeting will be held at the San Mateo County Planning and Building Department located at 455 County Center, 1st Floor, Room 101, Redwood City, CA from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 18, The opportunity to provide written public comment will be offered at the public scoping meeting. 5